Wars and Lies

Chapter Three

We got back into town and there's a huge crowd forming in the market and not like the usual crowd you get in town. Everyone's in a huddle chatting away. Ashton got the attention of the person closest to us, "what's going on?"

"The guards came round all our houses and asked to evacuate and to wait in the marketplace."

"Do you know why?" I asked.

"Sorry Katie I don't." Clearly something's going and it must be something bad for them to have to evacuate everyone. I pushed through the crowd and found just the brunette, blue eyed boy I was looking for. "Brandon? Any idea what's going on? I asked.

"Not a clue, haven't seen my dad all day. One of the guards came to wake me and brought me here." Brandon continued, "you okay there Katie? You look like you want to kill someone."

"Her dad annoyed her," Ash answered for me. Brandon didn't respond and nodded instead. Brandon and Ashton haven't ever really been that close and I'm not sure if they even like each other. They're civil but that's it. I've asked them both why but they both lie and say they like each other. Me, Steph and Em have tried figuring out why but can never come up with anything. Stephanie has a theory they're secretly gay for each other but that's because she hopes the whole world can be gay like her. Stephanie has always known she's into girls and has always been loud and proud and we're so proud of her. Emily hopes that Stephanie's theory is wrong as she has a massive crush on Brandon and has for years. 'Well, you're the chiefs son so can't you go find out?" Steph said in a tone that sounds slightly sassy.

"I think we're about to find out," Brandon said as Philip climbed up onto this stage area, we have at the far side of the market area that we use for school performances and speeches.

Philip started talking, "you're probably all wondering why I've had you all evacuate your homes. Mr and Mrs Jackson found a rats nest in their home and a lot of rats. So as a precaution, we thought it would be best to check all the houses and do our best to get rid of them. Please do not worry. I've got Stephan Wright on the case. You'll be able to return home in about an hour. Until then just go about your normal day." Philip walked off the stage and everyone slowly started to disperse without questioning anything. Stephan's my dad. Seeing as him and Philip have been best friends their whole lives, Philip made my dad his right-hand man and the head guard, not only because my dad is who Philip trusts the most but also because in the old world my dad was a top detective. "He's lying." Brandon stated.

"How can you tell?" Emily asked.

"He's my dad, I can always tell when he's lying."

"My dad was being weird earlier so clearly something more than rats is going on."

"I'll go see what I can find out and meet you in an hour," Brandon said as he left to investigate. We decided to go and wait by a pond located in the middle of town. The pond was built as a memorial to all those who died during the Tribal war, it has a sign saying, "For The Fallen".

What felt like an eternity later, Brandon finally came back and thank god he did as we had gotten so bored with theorising that they just became more and more stupid like Emily joked saying Mr and Mrs Jackson have turned into aliens made of jelly. "What'd you find out?" I asked.

"Mrs Jackson was found locked in her cupboard this morning," Brandon answered.

"So why did Philip lie?"

"Because Mr Jackson is missing. Mrs Jackson is resting at my house so I managed to speak to her. She said that they were in bed when two men broke in and it wasn't anyone from the tribe. Her husband locked her in the cupboard to keep her safe. She could hear banging and smashing. When she was finally let out this morning, her husband was gone along with most of their supplies." Brandon finished.

"Mr Jackson was kidnapped," Steph stated.

"But were they after him or the supplies or both?" I asked.

"Mr Jackson is 73, why would they want him? He probably just got in the way." Emily continued, "anyways, it's past lunch time so I need to get home."

"Same here," Steph and Brandon said. We parted ways and me and Ashton walked home in silence. My mind's filling with a hundred questions. Who are these people? Why have they come here? Why take Mr Jackson? He's such a sweet, kind old man. Clearly, Philip lied to keep people calm but he should've said so people can be on the lookout.

We got home and the second we entered the kitchen my parents fell silent. My mum immediately got up and started to make lunch. "Good hunt?" Dad asked.

"Didn't manage to catch anything but I heard that you're hunting rats?" I replied.

"Yeah and trust me it's not fun. I hate rats."

"As much as you hate kidnappers?" I sarcastically laughed.

"What?"

"I know."

"How? Brandon? Of course, it was. Why can't you lot ever let us deal with it?"

"Why can't you not lie?"

"For people's safety and so they don't worry."

"They have a right to know."

"Katie me and Philip know what's best for the people."

"No. You really don't." My dad and I are both as stubborn as each other. I am my father's daughter after all. My dad stormed out the house and I stormed into my room. I hate arguing with him. I hate arguing with anyone. It puts me in a groggy mood.

Five minutes later, Ashton came in. He grabbed a book and his secret stash of cookies. Ashton and I share a room. It's not very big but it's enough room. We've got two beds located on either side of the room and a poorly made chest of draws. I'm led in my bed. Ashton climbed in next to me and handed me the cookies. I'm a lot closer to Ashton than I am with the others. When Ash first got here, he was quiet and kept to himself. Me being stubborn, kept pestering him until he finally opened up. For the first two months I spent every day with him and we got really close. He always does this when I'm angry or stressed to calm me down. He put his arm around me and I snuggled up to him as he began to read to me. I listened to him read away and all the worries of the world disappeared.